


Floating

by Windian



Category: Tales of Berseria, Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Gen, pre-berseria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 22:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15010895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windian/pseuds/Windian
Summary: Eizen learns to swim. Edna makes sure he doesn't drown.





	Floating

“Brother, where is it you're skulking off to _this_ time?”

Eizen reacts like a schoolboy caught red-handed. He jumps, and colours, clumsily attempting to hide what look distinctly like _dolphin floaties_ behind his back.

He seems to gather what little remains of his pride. “Ahem. Just, going for a morning walk.”

This isn't the first time you've caught Eizen sneaking out with nary a goodbye, and you don't doubt it'll be the last. He returns sometimes _days_ later, bedecked with all sorts of human nonsense and bursting to the seams full of human tales.

“And are _they_ going for a walk with you?”

Eizen gives up on trying to hide the floaties. You cross your arms, tap your foot, wait for your brother to spit it out already.

Finally, gruffly, he mumbles something that sounds like, “Swimming lessons.”

“We're earth malakhim. We can't swim,” you remind him. “We sink. Like stone.”

“I know that,” he rumbles. “That's why I acquired these-- flotation devices--”

“Come on then.”

“Eh?”

Eizen stares as you pick up your parasol and head down to the base of the mountain. Your brother is like a dog with a bone: when he gets an idea in his head, he's loath to let it go.

“Your swimming lessons. I'd better watch you to make sure you don't drown. It'll be boring without you.”

Even among malakhim--  and you've known malakhim who are distinctly peculiar-- Eizen is a odd duck. He stands perpendicular to his own nature; consorting with humans, of all things. An earth malakhim who wants to learn to swim. You've known for the longest time about Eizen's blessing, and the fact that it's no blessing at all. But the tighter the noose of his curse tightens around his neck, the harder Eizen fights; against his own nature, his own fate.

On the shores of sunken Ladylake, you sit back under the shade of your parasol, and watch Eizen splash and flail about. By the time he's finished, the sun's resting low, washing the waters of the lake with a golden glow. Eizen re-emerges, hair plastered flat to his face, exhausted and dripping, absolutely _beaming_.

“Did you see, Edna? I did it, I did the doggy paddle.”

You pick a bit of pond algae from off his glowing face. “I did. Nice job, brother.”

There's a secret fear tucked inside your heart. Each time Eizen leaves, you worry it'll be his last. You just hope that when Eizen does leave for good, he'll at least have the courtesy to say goodbye.

“Come on, let's go to town,” Eizen says. “I'll get us palmiers.”

You loop your arm around his. “Sounds good to me.”

 

 


End file.
